it's a rough room here now, and it's a rough room for hagel yesterday. i agree with you that it was strange that there were some things that didn't come up, but not have north africa come nup a really substantive way, to not have the budget come nup a really substantive way was a problem for chuck hagel, and, you know, his ability or inability to bring those subjects to the fore on his own, i guess that is on him. i'm with you, i guess. >> ben, the "new york times" -- sorry. in the washington post jonathan bernstein -- >> let's get that right. "new york times". >> big difference. i'm not saying which one is better. jonathan bernstein writes in the washington post the confirmation process for chuck hagel is a good example of just how far off the rails executive-branch nomination and confirmation has gone. there's basically little in it for the senate when senators turn nominations into a series of gotcha moments and efforts to extrapolate the broad political philosophy of executive branch nominees." >> i have only been covering politics for i guess, 12 ye